


Earth

by kuhekabir



Series: Lucky Star [3]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Amnesia, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Rape/Non-con, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-01
Updated: 2015-01-01
Packaged: 2018-03-04 18:05:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3078854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuhekabir/pseuds/kuhekabir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Spock has taken to stalking me...”Jim said with a big sigh.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Earth

[](http://pics.livejournal.com/kuhekabir/pic/0004rp0e/)

III - Earth

“It's not normal, Bones...” Jim said, while sipping his drink.

A few weeks had passed since that day from hell and his slow recovery and ever since he had been trying hard to avoid Spock at all cost.

However the damn Vulcan seemed to have taken to stalking him because everywhere Jim went he just materialized as if out of thin air and it was slowly starting to get to him.

Had he behaved similarly?

Was this some sort of revenge?

Weren't Vulcans supposed to be above those petty emotions? But then again maybe to Spock it was suddenly logical to stalk him?

Jim sighed, putting the glass onto the table, pleading with Bones to fill it up again and his friend, trained by the years they've spent together at the academy, did so without another word.

“What's not normal?” Bones asked and if Jim hadn't been drunk already he would've probably remembered that there had been a very good reason why he had never told Bones about his short lived (or not so short lived) obsession with his first officer.

Some might consider the banter between Spock and Bones as downright hostile and while to some degree there really was no love lost between them, Jim had come to understand that in their own ways, insulting each other was simply the way those two communicated.

It was just yet another proof that Mr. Oh So Logical Spock wasn't really above emotions at all. Because there simply was no logical reason for insulting someone playfully. There just wasn't.

“Spock has taken to stalking me...” Jim said with a big sigh and he totally missed how his friend nearly chocked on his drink, spitting it into his glass again in an effort to get some much needed air into his lungs. “I mean I did it to him for a few months...trying to get him to realize that we could be good together...you know...” Jim drunkenly waved his hand as if that would explain everything, “but he made it very clear that I wasn't worth his time, he even called me a slut...” Jim hiccupped when he remembered that conversation and it wasn't because that statement still hurt, it was simply because he was drunk...

“Anyway,” Jim continued, unaware that Bones had started to stare, his fingers slowly inching towards his always-present tricorder, getting ready to scan Jim for any brain injuries. “but then I get blown up, kidnapped, kidnapped again and you know...” more hand waving on Jim's part, “and then he had this fight with Suvok over how I was his...and how he had no claim over me...because I was his...t'hy...” cough, “...oh well...” more hiccups from Jim, “and it made all no sense...and I've been ignoring him ever since and he just won't go away!”

The sudden humming of the tricorder stopped Jim's little tirade and his blue eyes focused on his friend who was staring at the results as if he couldn't believe it.

“There's nothing wrong with you...” Bones said slowly and Jim tilted his head sideways as if he was saying that he knew that but then Bones continued, “Medically speaking at least but you surely lost your mind...”

Now Jim was really confused because he wasn't the one stalking Spock here anymore, Spock was stalking him so why was he still the one who had lost his mind?

“Jim...” Bones tried to sound reasonably but that was really hard with the little slur in his speech. “You mean to tell me that you've got a crush on that green blooded...”

“Bones!” Jim shouted, “I don't have a crush, I just wanted to be his friend!”

Bones stared at him again as if he had lost his mind and Jim squirmed a little bit, sure he was somehow once again missing an important part of the conversation.

“You mean to tell me that you chased after Spock simply because you wanted to be his friend?” Bones sounded as if he couldn't believe it and Jim just shrugged because that was the truth, “Even you can't be this dumb!”

“Hey!” Jim shouted back because it wasn't like Bones to insult his intelligence in that way. They fought and yes, Jim got called lots of names but Bones had never really called him dumb and meant it!

“Jim...” Bones tried for calm again but he wasn't quite succeeding, “Just think about it for once...”and when Jim nodded Bones continued, “Did you ever chase after a woman the way you chased after Spock?”

And when Jim shook his head, Bones continued, “And did you ever chase after another man the way you did with Spock?”

After another shake of Jim's blond head Bones continued again, “We're best friends, right?” Jim nodded again because was Bones going with this somewhere?

“Did you at any time feel the need to chase after me the way you did with Spock?” If there was a slight apprehension in Bones' voice then surely Jim was only imagining it but he still didn't get what was Bones was trying to tell him.

“Of course not,” you dummy was implied by Jim, “because we were friends from the moment we met in the shuttle...” the duh was once again implied.

“Jim...”

“Bones...”

“Jim...”

“Bones...”

“For crying out loud...” Bones brought his hands onto the table, causing the glasses to skitter and the bottle to wobble dangerously, “Can't you just admit that you've got the hots for Spock and for both our sakes, put me out of my misery by going for it and then to never, ever share any details with me?”

Jim's mouth hung open because of all the things Bones could've been saying, this was the last thing he had ever expected.

“I don't want him to just mess with my head...” Jim explained, “So no, he can stalk all he wants but he won't get me. He had his chance.”

What ever Bones grumbled into his none existing beard was lost on Jim because he was just in time to rescue the bottle before Bones could throw it into a nearby wall.

Maybe he should make anger management courses mandatory, he mused...he was the captain, he could do it.

~~

Shore leave was finally upon them and Jim was really glad for it. For some reason Uhura had taken to glaring at him and for the life of him he couldn't figure out why.

It might have something to do with Spock taking up stalking him but surely she couldn't blame him for that? It wasn't his fault that his first officer had apparently gone strange in the head...

Ever since they had dropped Suvak off at New Vulkan weeks ago the atmosphere had been odd and even someone who usually claimed not to be too sensitive about these things (namely him) had noticed.

He figured it was down to cabin fever; even the best crew suffered from it and quite frankly ever since the recent torture events, which had just started calling his day from hell, he too had felt the need to just unwind and pretend to be someone else for a little while.

So when the notification for shore leave, on Earth of all places, so that the Enterprise could go through some repair works, Jim had been close to cheering out loud but only being on the bridge had stopped him.

Still, he had celebrated in private by jumping up down a bit; it might be childish but then again, he wasn't that old yet. Still in his early twenties, some might still call him kid at times, and he was just thankful that Bones had swapped that nickname for asshole.

Even though it didn't help being called names in front of the crew but he had figured it was better than Bones pointing out to them, often much older and experienced people, that he was still a kid.

And the best of all?

He would get to avoid Spock for two weeks and honestly Jim was quite thrilled by that!

He still sometimes wondered what it could've been like if Spock hadn't rejected him, he was human after all, mourning after things that could never be somehow came with the job description but he had enough sense left in his mucked up brain to know when to stop torturing himself.

He just wondered sometimes why Spock kept persisting in stalking him because it seemed downright illogical at this stage. Surely the Vulcan with his superior intellect had figured out by now that Jim wasn't going to fall for his game so what was he up to?

“Jim...” Jim nearly jumped and it was only quick reflexes that made him stay put and not embarrass himself in front of Admiral Pike.

“Admiral...” Jim nodded formally but he received a good-natured glare and then a pat on the back for it while the man corrected him fondly, “I told you to call me Chris.”

That seemed oddly familiar since he had been using the very same phrase on Spock all those times so Jim just nodded, unsure what to say.

He did consider Christopher Pike as a friend and mentor; the man had after all managed to persuade him to join Starfleet in the first place and then instead of just abandoning him, he had kept in touch and even taken on the role of his academic advisor.

That Jim had saved his life wasn't something that he frequently thought about because he figured that anyone in his position would've done the same. It hadn't yet occurred to him that this might not be true.

“Can we talk in private for a minute?” Pike said and Jim just nodded, pointing towards his office.

Most of the crew was already gone; he was almost the last one left but that was the captain's job: making sure that everything was taken care off and only then was he allowed to leave.

Spock was still around somewhere but Jim was certain that the Vulcan was going to show up unexpectedly anyway and he was proven right because the moment he entered his office, Spock showed up on the bridge and of course Pike had to invite him to come along.

“I asked Spock to join us as well because it concerns both of you...” Pike explained by not really explaining anything but Jim was used to cryptic messages by now so he just nodded and sat down.

Pike did the same thing but Spock just stood there, body rigid, arms folded behind his back and even after Pike invited him to sit down Spock stayed standing.

Pike sighed and look at Jim and he was about to ask, what do you want me to do about it when Pike said out loud, “Can you please get your first officer to sit down? It hurts my neck to be staring up at him like that.”

“Spock,” Jim addressed the Vulcan directly, “Come have a seat...you know you want to...” he added teasingly because he still hadn't found an off switch for that habit but then again, he had just given up on trying to become his friend, he had never said anything from denying himself the privilege of needling the Vulcan.

The only thing stopping him from doing it too often was the fact that somehow Spock seemed to take pleasure from it and even though Jim had no clue as to how he knew that, he still just knew.

“I'm afraid before you can go on your shore leave there is one more thing you will have to do.”

And Jim just knew that these were the famous last words...

~~

“I can't believe that I will be stuck with you for nearly two more days...” Jim grumbled while the shuttle took them down to Earth.

Spock of course refrained from answering, just raising one eyebrow.

Apparently it had been fortunate that the Enterprise, or to be more precise, that he and Spock had been gone from Earth for so long because the press hadn't had a chance to actually chase after them.

There had been articles written about them; some made up and some stories leaked by untold sources at Starfleet but no magazine or news station had yet had the chance to interview the heroes of the federation in person.

After Nero's defeat, there had been a general news black out and while some information had made it out, the exact details had been kept silent for as long as possible to allow the cadets that had managed to survive to complete their training and to graduate.

Most, of those that were still left, had only been a few exams short of the necessary credits and everything had been rushed through afterwards that honestly Jim wasn't quite so sure that everyone who graduated had actually passed the exams.

Not that he would begrudge anyone from graduating but he found it rather odd that after surviving something so horrible, the destruction of a planet, witnessing the almost destruction of one of the founding members of the federation and not to mention the loss of countless friends and family members, that not one cadet who had served in the battle and survived had managed to fail a single exam.

Jim wished it was true but he rather doubt it. Not just for the academic reasons but also for the emotional ones because even he wasn't so sure that he remembered the first month after the incidents all clearly.

And he was still supposed to have passed all the exams? He was good, he knew that but he doubted that he and everyone else were that good.

Either way, everything had been rushed back then. The whole academy had been closed off; no one had been allowed to leave or enter and by the time they had graduated and Jim had been pronounced captain, they had almost immediately been sent off on their first mission.

They had been back to Earth a few times since then, but mostly they had just stayed in the space station because a day leave hadn't really allowed anyone to go anywhere.

So he figured, it wasn't really a bad thing that he had missed the day when the whole story had been made public because reading an article here and there about himself in flying colours, including his infuriating first officer had been freaky enough.

But to be actually face-to-face with hero worship?

Jim would rather encounter ten times more Nero's than that.

However he could hardly ignore a direct order and apparently before he and Spock were allowed to leave for their holidays Starfleet wanted them to do one interview – together.

They had put them up in a well known hotel, gotten them a suite and Jim had thought that the universe was out to get him because here he was, trying to get away from Spock, and now he was going to have to share living quarters with him for two days.

It just wasn't fair.

And Jim really wasn't aware of the heated look Spock sent his way while he was pouting. He also didn't realize that it looked rather cute on him.

~~

“Jim...”

“Spock...”

“Is it true...?”

Was what true? Jim almost shot back at the reporter yelling over the barricade but he bit his tongue because encouraging those people wasn't really going to be productive.

Spock carried himself as stiff as ever but despite the security detail that they had been assigned, the crowd still got very close to them and it was only when the Vulcan flinched almost unnoticeably that Jim remembered: touch telepath.

Without thinking twice about it, he grabbed Spock and pushed the taller man behind him, making sure that he was shielding him from any one coming close to them.

The people were still around them and it was quite scary as a matter of fact but at least he was protecting Spock from the worst of it.

Jim didn't even question his move, nor did he notice the small smile playing across Pike's face when he had watched the events unfold.

Nor did he see Spock silently thanking him with his dark eyes but there were many things that Jim just never noticed.

The blond just never really put much stock in himself and his abilities and he never really noticed when he was being appreciated for who he was.

~~

“I'm glad we're passed all of that...!” Jim sighed when the hotel room door closed behind them and even Pike reminding them of their appointment tomorrow morning couldn't stop his sudden cheerful mood.

“The door over there leads to the adjacent suite so tomorrow someone will come and get you around 9 am. That way you don't have to brave the outside world and when it is done, we'll make sure that you get away to your chosen destination.”

Jim frowned but Pike answered his question before he could even from it in his mind. “I don't think you got to worry about people turning crazy on you...for both you. You're heroes and if someone recognizes you on your holiday you'll be just fine. Crowds usually tend to complicate things but don't let that ruin your upcoming and much deserved time off.”

Jim nodded quietly because he wasn't so sure but he wasn't going to run scared from some adoring fans. If he could face their enemies and countless disasters in space while on duty he would surely be able to handle some people wanting his autograph.

In theory at least...

Even though recent events had given him something to think about...

Spock seemed rather fidgety and for a Vulcan that really meant something. He wasn't outright twitchy but if Jim just looked really carefully he could see just how uncomfortable the Vulcan really was.

He sighed; there wasn't anything he could do about it even though he wished he could do this on his own.

“Spock doesn't have to go through this, does he?” Jim offered suddenly because maybe that was the answer. He wouldn't necessarily call the Vulcan shy but for a touch telepath being exposed to so many needy people could be quite a scary thing.

Spock actually managed a little frown, “I am perfectly capable of giving an interview.” he said stiffly and Jim wasn't so sure if Spock had realized that he had just been trying to help.

“Just trying to make it easier for you...” Jim quickly answer and before Spock could say anything further Pike let out a little laugh, “Thanks Jim, I'm sure Spock appreciates the sentiment but you're both wanted. You're the couple of the year; the human and the Vulcan...just one half of the equation isn't going to do it...”

Jim's forehead scrunched up because there was that word again – couple – and Jim got the impression that Pike was telling him something that he just wasn't hearing. Even Spock seemed oddly pleased with the phrasing and that alone told Jim that he was missing something.

He sighed, rubbing his forehead and messing up his hair. It wouldn't be the first time that something escaped his notice even though it was staring him right in the face.

He would figure it out eventually, he always did and until then, he just continued as always.

“See you tomorrow then...” Jim nodded at Pike, picked up his duffel and randomly chose one bedroom for himself, closing the door behind him.

~~

A few hours later, Jim emerged from his current and slowly entered the main living room only to find Spock sitting on the floor, meditating with a few candles burning around him. He sniffed the air. The scent was rather nice and he was just about to tip toe out of there when he ran into a table.

He cursed, trying to keep it quiet but of course he had broken Spock's concentration.

“Are you injured?” the Vulcan asked and before Jim could object, a strong arm gripped his and then he was more or less forcefully guided to the nearby sofa.

“I'm fine Spock...” he said but Spock just eyed him and then declared, “Fine is a term humans use when they are not alright but don't want to come out and say it out loud that something is amiss.”

Jim blinked because Spock wasn't complete wrong, now that he thought about it, but he also wasn't going to admit to it.

“Really Spock...” Jim said again, “My foot will survive.”

“I'll get some ice...” Spock declared and quickly left the room leaving Jim staring after him because why had the Vulcan left the room to get some ice? There was a perfectly good replicator just over there...

Jim waited a few moments and when Spock didn't come back he got slightly worried. He had just about gotten up when the door suddenly opened and then was suddenly shut again forcefully with Spock leaning against it actually looking quite flustered.

“I would advise you not to leave the room or head down the hallway...” Spock eventually said and Jim was still staring because even though he wasn't going to admit it out loud, a flustered Spock was actually kind of cute.

“I got you real ice.” Spock held up an ice bag and Jim quickly recalled that first class hotels provided 20th century ice machines in the hall way. Apparently the rich thought it was really nice to have real ice with expensive drinks but then again Jim just found that odd because by the same reasoning shouldn't they also refuse the food from the replicator? It wasn't really real food either, not in the sense that it had grown somewhere...

“Spock...” Jim was about to enlighten the Vulcan that any ice would've done but then he just bit his lower lip, lowers his head and said thank you.

He sat down again and Spock was by his side, gently lifting his foot up onto his lap, placing the ice bag over it.

He really wasn't all that injured but Jim still closed his eyes and let Spock have his fun because there was no harm in it and it actually felt kind of nice that someone was trying to look after him and not shouting at him at the same time.

He loved Bones, he really did, but sometimes he wished that he could get his caring with a little less shouting...

“Thanks...” Jim said again and even though he couldn't be sure, he could've sworn that Spock had mumbled, 

“You're welcome.”

~~

The rest of the day was uneventful but then maybe that depended on how Jim looked at it. When he went to bed he honestly couldn't remember a single conversation with Spock but his memories clearly told him that he had just spent the day and the evening in Spock's company and that he had enjoyed it.

He frowned; if he had needed proof that they were compatible this would've been it but he had stopped looking for that...right?

~~

Jim dressed carefully the next morning, only grumbling slightly because Pike had actually left him a list of what was acceptable and what wasn't. As if he didn't know how to dress himself but the more rational part of him knew that Starfleet wanted to present a certain image while still appearing nonchalant about it.

Thankfully he hadn't worn his jeans in a while so they were clean, so were his boots and there wasn't really anything wrong with his dark shirt either.

He quickly ran a hand through his hair and when he exited his bedroom he made a beeline for the replicator because he wasn't going to do this without some coffee.

He nearly dropped my precious cup of coffee when he turned around and found Spock sitting quietly at the table, eating pieces of fruit.

He looked stunning with his black clothes and his dark hair and for a few moments Jim just stood there with my mouth open before he realized what he was doing and he quickly rectified the problem.

“You ready?” Pike's voice suddenly appearing through the doorway had Jim actually dropping his coffee and when he bent to retrieve it and to clean it up he was told to just leave it.

Jim sighed, rubbing his forehead, not the best way to start the day. He felt off kilter and that wasn't a good way to feel when facing reporters.

Jim was sure, much like every predator out there, that they would be able to smell his discomfort and somehow find a way to use it!

~~

Jim was lulled into a false sense of comfort when the majority of the interview was relatively harmless.

Some might think it odd that someone who usually never did as he was told actually didn't much like attention but that was just how it was. Jim didn't like being the centre of attention and from the extra stiff look Spock had on his face right next to him, he would've had said that the feeling was mutual.

They had done what needed to be done; they had been in the right place at the right time or wrong place at the wrong time – depending how you wanted to look at it – and that was that all that was to it.

The questions so far had been rather generic. Jim was sure for someone was private as Spock they had been utter hell but Spock always did his duty so he responded even though Jim could tell that he really hadn't wanted to talk about his childhood or about his mother.

Actually Jim might've glared a little bit when Spock's mother had been mentioned because that had been just downright insensitive.

“Now Jim...” one of the first things out of the reporter's mouth had been a forced acceptance to be addressed by their first name because apparently it made the whole thing more informal. Jim really didn't care but he could see that Spock hadn't much liked it. No one could actually pronounce Spock's full name but Jim knew that his first officer liked to be addressed as either Commander or Mr. Spock by people he didn't know.

It was some formal thing and even though Jim didn't quite understand it, it was just simple how Spock was and if the reporter hadn't been so focused on her story she would have respected that.

This interview though was geared mostly for a human audience so she clearly hadn't bothered by checking up on anything else.

That only made him dislike reporters even more.

“Jim...” she said his name again causing Jim's blue eyes to focus on her again and he sent her a winning smile because he might not like playing this game but he knew what was expected of him. Her time was almost up and then he could go back to ignoring reporters all he wanted.

“Are the rumours true?”

Jim tilted his head to the side because what rumours was she talking about? One quick glance to his side told him that Spock, in his stoic Vulcan way, looked just as baffled as he was and when his first officer opened his mouth to ask her to clarify, Jim decided that he should go first.

“You have to be more specific than that...” Jim said quickly because his instinct was telling him that this was going to end up awkward and if anyone should look stupid it should be him because he wasn't really all that bothered by it. Spock though valued his pride...

“That your friendship with Spock is a little bit more intimate than you would have everyone believe...” the leer in her tone of voice and the almost hungry look when she said that while eyeing Jim up and down and then focusing on Spock was almost enough to render Jim speechless.

He was just about to open his mouth and to tell her off when Spock surprised him by putting his hand onto his own, effectively startling him into silence because the Vulcan didn't like to touch anyone and now he had done it out of his own free will, in front of rolling cameras non the less.

“Humans are familiar with the word privacy?” Spock asked, one eyebrow arched and Jim mentally groaned because Spock had just confirmed that there was something to hide even though there really wasn't.

“I believe your time is up.” Pike's voice put a stop to the fiasco and Jim pondered for a few moments if he should grab the reporter and clarify that there wasn't anything going on but then he recalled that sometimes protesting too much, even if it was true, was just going to have the opposite effect so he kept his mouth shut.

After all, apparently there were some out there who already thought that he and Spock were intimate and anything he said on the topic wouldn't persuade anyone differently.

He did wonder though if Starfleet would have to say anything about it because Spock technically was reporting to him and he could be brought up on some charges, he was sure.

“There's nothing going on...” Jim hurried to say the moment the door was closed behind them but Pike interrupted them by surprisingly saying, “It is frowned upon by a captain to fraternise with his crew but it isn't strictly forbidden and Spock is your second in command. No one would ever believe that your first officer could've been coerced by anything you did or said. So relax, Starfleet doesn't mind.”

Jim nodded thankfully until he stopped, “Hey, wait a minute...”He managed to say but Pike was already excusing himself, telling them to enjoy the rest of the day and that they could check out any time tomorrow after lunch.

Jim still stood there with is mouth slightly open because had that just happened? Had Pike and Starfleet in general just given him the go ahead for a relationship with Spock?

Seriously?

“I will meditate.” Spock's words barely registered and Jim just nodded, finding himself still standing on the same spot a few minutes later.

Eventually he just shook his head and even though he wanted to go outside because it was sunny he decided to stay put for the day. Some nice time lounging on the bed, watching some movies or play a few games was probably a lot safer than braving the world out there.

~~

It was after 10 pm when Jim returned from his shower, towel draped around his waist, rubbing his still wet hair with another one.

His body still felt tense and even a hot and long shower hadn't been effective in chasing away whatever was bothering him.

Quite honestly he wasn't even so sure what exactly had him all this tense but he was sure it was a combination of things and it irritated him that he couldn't just will them away.

“May I offer my assistance?” Jim's steps faltered and startled by Spock's words he nearly jumped out of his skin. If Spock put his mind to it he could be downright scarily stealthy.

“Assistance with what?” Jim turned around, looking slightly confused; breaking eye contact for a moment by tossing the towel he had used to dry his hair onto the floor.

It did occur to him that he was almost naked in front of Spock and he wasn't so sure if the thrill he felt was out of being uncomfortable or if it was due to something else.

On the other hand, Spock was only clad in some loose fitting sweatpants, his chest was bare and for a second Jim found himself staring because knowing that his first officer had a fit body was one thing but actually getting a glimpse of it? Quite another...

“Jim?” Spock queried and all Jim could muster was, “Huh?”

“You're tense. I can alleviate your symptoms...”

Translation: Spock was asking if Jim wanted a massage and before Jim could check for ulterior motives he found himself smiling and nodding eagerly, “That would be great. Thanks!”

He turned around, crawling onto the bed, mindful to keep the towel in place and totally unaware of the look Spock sent towards him.

Spock left to pick up some supplies and when the bed dipped and his first officer sat down on Jim's thighs it occurred to Jim that this might not have been such a good idea after all.

He should've at least gotten up and put on some underwear...

It was too late now though to rectify the problem because if he made Spock get up now it would only make the whole thing more uncomfortable and thankfully once Spock's skilful hands started massaging his back, all thoughts vanished from his head.

“I didn't know you were serious...” Spock said, almost too casually and it took Jim's sedated and very comfortable mind to confirm that yes, he had no clue what Spock was talking about.

He settled for a grunt, hoping that this would get Spock to just shut up and keep working on his back but Spock apparently had other plans because with a slight yelp Jim was suddenly turned around until he was flat on his back with Spock straddling him.

Jim's brain was still slightly fuzzy from the excellent massage he had received or had still been receiving until a few seconds ago so when he blinked up at Spock, he looked quite adorably confused.

“I thought you were only trying to get to know me to win the bet.”

Now Jim had proof that Spock was talking nonsense because he clearly was.

“What bet?” Jim found himself saying because seriously, was this some sort of Vulcan version of a heart to heart with him almost butt naked under his first officer? Seriously?

Jim watched Spock looking puzzled for a few seconds before something indefinable and almost warm settled in the dark eyes, “You had no idea that there was a bet going on about how long it would take you to get me to let you into my pants?”

Jim blinked, shaking his head, feeling the first stab of anger shooting through his body.

“All this time you ignored me and shut me down because you thought I was only trying to be your friend to win some stupid bet?” Jim's voice hitched because the odd mix of feeling hurt and angry was making him even more irrational than what was normal for him.

“It was only logical to conclude that after you changed your behaviour towards me that you were looking for some sort of gain...” that almost sounded defensive on Spock's part and logically Jim couldn't fault the Vulcan for it but that didn't change the fact that Spock should've known better.

“Get off me.” Jim demanded, trying to dislodge the Vulcan on top of him but for the first time Spock used his superior strength to keep him pinned.

He grabbed Jim's wrists and held them firmly not giving an inch.

“Let go off me...”Jim hissed, “I would never do such a thing...” he hissed, blinking rapidly because his anger was getting the better of him and it was only because of that, not because he felt hurt, that his eyes had started to water a little bit. “I might be an ass and yes, I do like sex but I would never sink so low to pretend to be someone's friend just for a lousy bet...that's just...low...” he repeated, meaning every single word of it.

He had done lots of things he wasn't proud of but he would never do such a thing and it hurt that Spock hadn't at least known that.

“I do apologize Jim,” Spock offered solemnly, “Once I realized my error I did try to connect with you but you are proving to be hard to get...”

Jim blinked because was this innuendo? Or double talk? He almost laughed at the sheer stupidity of that thought but the fact remained that he was pinned to the bed, half naked with an equally not dressed Vulcan on top of him. Maybe some innuendo was rightly placed after all...

Jim settled for, “Uhm...” again because he honestly didn't know what else to say.

Spock's face was suddenly even closer, the undecipherable heat back in his dark eyes.

“Do you have any idea what t'hy'la really means for a Vulcan?” Spock asked and Jim just stared back because if Spock had to ask him if he knew what it meant then clearly there was once again something he missing.

He sighed, closing his eyes momentarily because it would seem that he was always missing something and he was staring to develop some insecurity issues because of it.

“Friend, brother...and lover...” Spock said slowly, leaving some space in between brother and lover and Jim could honestly say that he still wasn't sure what Spock was getting at.

“Look just because your other version called me that first, doesn't mean that this is some sort of competition.” He pointed out, “I don't know why he called me that but I don't much care for that the fact that only after he said it that you suddenly decided that it was only your right to call me that...”

Jim was rambling slightly but he stood by his point. Before Suvok had called him t'hy'la Spock hadn't even looked twice at him and suddenly when someone else had wanted him, even if only for a brief moment in time, he was desirable too?

“Get off me...” he demanded, “I might not have much to offer but I won't be some prize, something to be won...and I won't be second choice in anything either...”

“I apologize...” Spock said again and Jim sighed again, closing his eyes because this was getting rather exhausting and Spock still hadn't moved an inch. “I have been unable to express myself.”

Jim just kept quiet because by now he knew that he wasn't going to be allowed to get up and away from underneath Spock until the Vulcan had said his piece. “I have...” there was an uncharacteristic pause for Spock which caused Jim to open his eyes, fixating on Spock's face, “I have desired for quite some time to get to know you better and I only refused your advances because I thought you were trying to win a bet and because I did not see any reason to believe that you were sincere.”

Alright, Jim thought, he would have to give Spock that because if the other had honestly believed that Jim was only trying to be nice to him to win a bet then he couldn't really fault Spock for it. Spock still should've known him better but then again, Spock wasn't human, he was Vulcan and even though he had lived among humans for quite some time, there were still times when the Vulcan simply didn't understand humans at all.

It went the other way too of course because sometimes Spock was really puzzling and Jim had always figured that it must've been due to some cultural thing, alien differences or something like that.

And he had to admit that he hadn't really given Spock any reason to not believe that he would sink so low and try to pretend to be someone's friend just to win a bet...he was still hurt that Spock had thought so little of him but if he applied logic for once the he couldn't really fault the other for it.

“I learned of my error when Lt. Uhura informed me of it. Apparently she had overheard some people talking and she had brought it to my attention. However the timing was rather unfortunate because at the time you were in coma.”

Jim blinked; trying to think back and he figured that Spock must've learned the truth during that day from hell that happened a while ago.

“You then insisted to get hurt several times in a row leaving me enough time to contemplate the notion of being unable to apologize to you and to explain myself and I found that I...” another uncharacteristic pause, “that I didn't care for that at all.”

“Did you just admit to having feelings?” Jim blurted out and one stern look from Spock shut him up, “Vulcans do have feelings. As a matter of fact they run much deeper in us than in humans, we've just chosen to use logic to master them.”

Which translated that basically Spock was suppressing anything he felt and Jim couldn't help but wonder if that was a good thing or not. It might work for someone who was fully Vulcan but Spock was half human even if his first officer often chose to ignore that fact.

“Apology accepted.” Jim finally said, finding that it was the truth. “Now get off me.”

“After much meditation I also realized that Suvok never really meant to claim you for himself. He was merely manipulating events so that I realized what was between us and if you are agreeable to this, I would very much approve of you as my t'hy'la.”

Jim blinked, not quite sure where this was going any more. “Friends then?” he asked hesitantly because there was an undertone in Spock's voice that told him that he was talking about more than just friendship.

“I believe a common human term would be friends with benefits...” Spock startled Jim by saying, “However you have to understand that Vulcans do take relationships a lot more serious than humans. As a matter of fact, Vulcans usually only have sex when they are married and it is my human nature that I am indulging by having sexual relations outside of that.”

Spock was a rebel.

Jim snorted at that, wondering why he hadn't seen that before. Maybe the stiff and proper exterior had him fooled, just like everyone else but deep down they were actually very much alike. Neither one of them apparently did what was expect of them...

“Wait...” Jim's mind was finally translating what Spock had said, “You also want to be my lover?” his voice sounded slightly shrill but not necessarily because he was opposed to the idea, he just had never really thought about it before.

“We are compatible on many levels. And maybe one day it would even lead to a bond but for now, I would be more than willing to just enjoy the moment...” Spock managed to look slightly sheepish because he had just used another human term but it seemed to really fit.

Jim blinked, Spock seemed to be waiting for an answer and Jim decided to just throw caution out the window.

This was a chance and wasn't he the one who was rumoured to always leap without looking?

“Alright then...” he agreed and he was surprised when Spock apparently took his agreement quite literally because the next thing he knew, hot lips were pressed to his own and his mouth was being coaxed open.

His hands were no longer restrained; one thumb was stroking his cheek while Jim tilted his head a little bit further back to allow Spock more access.

The other Vulcan hand was running slowly up and down his side, sending goosebumps down his spine.

Jim finally decided that it wasn't like him to be passive, so he raised his own hands, allowing them to fall onto the Vulcan's back.

He loved Spock's skin underneath his hands; so similar and yet so different at the same time.

Jim's hands trailed slower, grabbing Spock's butt, squeezing and pulling the Vulcan closer to his own body while Jim, at the same time arched his back and brought their hips and their cocks together.

A low growl emitted from Spock's throat and before he knew it, Jim's towel vanished and then a hot hand was holding his dick.

Jim let his head fall back, allowing Spock to gently stroke him, to coax him even harder than he had been before and he was barely aware of the gentle kisses that were being trailed down his naked chest until suddenly his cock was engulfed in a tight heat that had Jim nearly coming on the spot.

Spock apparently had done his research because he knew just how to suck and how to cradle his balls because Jim felt his orgasm coming on rather quickly.

“Spock...” he managed to mumbled and then he screamed when he emptied his load down Spock's throat and to his surprise the Vulcan didn't let go, he took it all, swallowing and milking his shaft until Jim was completely spent.

Jim closed his eyes, heart beating rapidly and he wasn't even totally aware when he was turned around and when his legs were gently being spread.

He was aware though when Spock parted his cheeks, pushing a finger slowly into his tight hole and for one brief moment he panicked because he hadn't done this in a long time.

Spock stilled, gently calling his name, asking for permission because obviously he had picked up on Jim's discomfort.

And honestly Jim wasn't quite sure what he wanted but then again, he also was no coward so he just parted his legs wider, pulling them up a bit so that his ass was raised, giving Spock the go ahead without uttering a single word.

The finger was back and Jim felt himself being stretched and soon he just gave himself up to the sensation. It wasn't like he remembered; for some reason he actually felt being taken care off, as if Spock was showing him just how much he cared with every single stroke and despite being having been slightly apprehensive at first, he soon found himself caught up in the act.

When something much bigger than fingers nudged at his opening he was more than ready for it and he pushed back the moment Spock decided to push forward and with an uncharacteristic grunt, Spock had buried himself balls deep inside Jim.

It registered on Jim's mind that Spock must have found a lubricant somewhere but he was too distracted by Spock buried inside him to follow this train of thought.

He sighed and started moving, clenching his muscles and meeting Spock's thrusts as best as he could and in literally no time he found that his own cock was hard again and aching for release.

When he started to take himself in hand his hand was swatted away by Spock who just grabbed Jim's cock, stroking him in tandem with his thrusts and it didn't really take long for Jim to come again but this time Spock was only seconds behind, emptying himself inside Jim's body.

For a brief moment Jim wondered if they should've used protection but Bones was fairly good at making sure that the crew was healthy and he knew that he hadn't been sexually active for a while and Spock honestly wasn't the type to sleep around.

Still, Jim mused sleepily, if they were to do that again, which was probably a given, then they probably should talk about it...just to be sure.

He was already drifting off to sleep, which was slightly rude on his part but Spock didn't seem to mind because after a few moments Jim found his face pressed against a muscular chest, so clearly Spock was in the mood to cuddle.

That had Jim smile because he wouldn't have thought that the logical Spock would like something as human as cuddling but here he was, holding on to Jim as if he were something precious and the small comforting circles that Spock's hand traced on Jim's back had him lulled into sleep in no time at all.

And for once, Jim slept soundly.

His last thought was that he was really glad that they had had this conversation...

~~

Jim lazily stretched in bed; his hand looking for someone or something and it took him a few seconds to realize that he was looking for Spock.

He sleepily opened his blue eyes but it only took him a few seconds to confirm that he was alone in bed. He fought back a stab of hurt when he realized he was being silly because Vulcans didn't need as much sleep as humans so Spock was either awake and doing something or he was meditating.

For all his telepathic talents there was no way Spock could have known that Jim would've loved waking up with his lover still in his bed because to him that action alone signified that what they had shared last night was more than just a simple fact.

This idea came from the fact that most of the times, not to say all of the times, it had been Jim who had been sneaking out of the bed of some woman during the night so he had come to associate that kind of behaviour with no strings attached sex.

He was however going to have to work harder at his communication skills because if they were going to try this then both of them would have to communicate because relationships or friendships were difficult enough among humans and he could only just imagine how much more difficult it would be with a half Vulcan.

Jim stretched, lazily arching his back and after allowing himself a few more seconds of just enjoying not having to do anything, he finally got up.

He quickly got dressed, grabbing his work out clothes. He would prefer to actually go outside for a quick run but he knew better than that. This hotel though had a state of the art gym and contrary to Spock's problem with the press yesterday, he figured he should be able to have his work out without being molested by reporters.

When he left the bedroom he found Spock meditating so he quickly left a note stating that he had gone to the gym.

He had no idea what they were going to do now; the sex last night had been good, more than good even and even though they had talked (even though Spock had done most of the talking if Jim was honest) he still felt that they would've a lot more to discuss now that they were both awake.

But it could wait because he had the nagging suspicion that if he interrupted Spock during his meditation without a good cause, he might have a grumpy, stoic Vulcan on his hands and that wasn't really something he wanted.

So he left as quietly as he could and once he found the gym he quickly lost himself in running.

One could even say that running for him was the same as meditation to Spock; for Jim, running as if there was no tomorrow, just loosing himself in the pace was the only way he could totally leave all his worries and fears behind.

It was his way to cope with the world and it hadn't let him down yet.

That it also kept him fit and in rather good shape was a bonus but not the reason why he had picked up the habit...

~~

Jim was in a good mood when he walked back to the room. The run had done him some good and the following old-fashioned water shower had almost been rejuvenating. He greatly enjoyed the fact that this hotel provided the luxury of the old fashioned way to shower because to Jim, having real water cascading down his body was just the only way to get really refreshed.

Sonic showers did the trick of getting clean but nothing beat the feeling of real water, at least in Jim's opinion.

His blond hair was still wet and he was dressed casually now in old jeans, boots and a simple dark coloured shirt.

Normally he wouldn't have bothered to shower in the gym, he would've just gone back to the room to do it there but considering that there was still a possibility of reporters lurking about, he hadn't wanted to run the risk of having his sweaty photo plastered all over the tabloids.

That probably meant that he was vain but he had still not seen a reason to take the risk so he had grabbed some cleans clothes and taken them with him.

He should've known that because for the first time in a while he actually felt rested, relaxed and just over all happy that life would not let him keep it.


End file.
